Question

Using the vi editor, how can you create a document called and enter a few lines of text in it?

1) Use the command 'vi '
2) Use the command 'vi ' and then manually enter the text
3) Use the command 'vi ' and then copy and paste the text

Answer 1

To create a document with vi, use 'vi filename', enter INSERT mode by pressing 'i', type your text, exit INSERT mode with the Esc key, save and exit with ':wq'.

Step-by-step explanation:

To create a document using the vi editor, you can follow these steps:

1. Open a terminal on your computer.
2. Type the command 'vi filename' where filename is the name of the document you want to create, for example 'vi example.txt'.
3. Press Enter to open vi with your new file. Initially, you'll be in NORMAL mode.
4. To enter text, switch to INSERT mode by pressing 'i' on your keyboard.
5. Type in the text you want to add to your document.
6. After entering the text, return to NORMAL mode by pressing the 'Esc' key.
7. To save the document and exit vi, type ':wq' and press Enter.

Remember, you cannot copy and paste text into vi unless you are in INSERT mode. Additionally, ensure that you are aware of vi's mode of operation as it is modal and the same keys perform different actions depending on the mode you are in.